By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
PUERTO PRINCESA, Palawan – Swimmer Anton Paulo Della of San Fernando, La Union made waves by posting a new meet record while Masbate City’s Courtney Jewel Trangia clinched the first gold medal at stake in the 2024 Batang Pinoy Championships at the RVM Sports Complex here.
A 16-year-old Palarong Pambansa standout, Derlla clocked 2 minutes and 15.58 seconds to rule the boys 16-17 200-meter individual medley and eclipse the one-year-old meet mark of 2:16.66 set by Lucena’s Peter Cyrus Dean.
He edged Ormoc City’s Coby Marcus Rivilla (2:17.28) and Davao City’s Juan Alessandro Suarez (2:18.71).
A few hours earlier at the track oval, Trangia continued her dominance in the girls under-18 discus throw by heaving 38.30 meters on her fifth attempt.
The Grade 12 student of Masbate Sports Academy edged eventual silver winner Hannah Ashlei Regaya of Davao Del Norte (31.54m) and bronze medalist Trisha Gayle Nalla of city of Maasin (31.06m).
Despite reigning supreme for the third time in her last year in the competition, Trangia admitted she wasn’t satisfied with her golden performance as it was a far cry from her personal best of 40.19m at the ICTSI National Open in Pasig this year.
“Mababa nakuha ko ngayon, nakaka-disappoint. Kailangan ko pang mag-training,” said Trangia, who is scheduled to leave for Malaysia on Monday, Nov. 25, to compete in an Under-18 tournament.
Other swimming winners were Pasig City’s Arvin Naeem Taguinota II and City of Malabon’s Sophia Rose Garra who gave their teams two gold medals apiece in the morning session.
Taguinota, 13, topped the boys 12-13 200m IM (2:22.02) and 100m freestyle (57.92sec), while Garra won in the girls 12-13 200m IM (2:31.82) and 100m free (1:02.61).
Also winning were City of Taguig’s Aston Clyde Jose in boys 14-15 200m IM (2:14.08), San Fernando, La Union’s Kyla Bulaga in girls 14-15 200m IM (2:33.50), and Quezon City’s Liaa Margarette Amoguis in girls 16-17 200m IM (2:33.25), Pampanga’s Jet Deryl Berueda in boys 14-15 100m free (56.17sec), Aklan’s Nuche Ibit in girls 14-15 100m free (1:00.68), Naga City’s Alberto Jose Amaro II (52.59sec), and Pasig City’s Arabella Taguinota in the girls 16-17 100m free (1:02.03).
